The 2°C guarantee should be dropped from the global climate change deal to allow for more flexibility and avoid deadlock, US Special Envoy for Climate Change Todd Stern has said.

Speaking at Dartmouth College he said removing the 2°C specification from the agreement would allow countries to get on with actions to limit climate change now while leaving it open for further ambition at a later date.

“It is more important to start now with a regime that can get us going in the right direction and that is built in a way maximally conducive to raising ambition, spurring innovation and building political will,” he said adding that insisting on an agreement that would guarantee the 2°C limit would only lead to deadlock.

Please take a second, read the global warming bottom line above, then read just the first paragraph of the quote.

With “leadership” like this, we’re dead. Thanks, Mr. Obama. Climate Change Envoy Todd Stern works for you, last time I checked.

■ The good news. There’s a growing number of people in a position to both think clearly and make real noise — people who are getting it, hugging the monster, calling a catastrophe a catastrophe, and pushing for a real solution. More on that shortly.